Indicating plug for barrels and other containers



Jan. 17, 1939.

E MILLER INDICATING PLUG FOR BARRELS AND OTHER CONTAINERS INVENTOR. I [o/Wqrd MI /Ier' I Original Filed Jan. 24, 1936 A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES INDIGATING PLUG FOR BARRELS AND OTHER CONTAINERS Edward Miller, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application January 24, 1936, Serial No. 60,601 Renewed November 8, 1938 1 Claim.

The invention relates to stoppers for containers and more particularly to a stopper through which the contents of the container may be observed. It has for its main objects, to provide a stopper of this type which will enable a person to ascertain whether or not a container is completely filled and containing the amount of merchandise which it is supposed to contain. Another object is to construct a plug of this type which may be applied to containers of a great variety.

A still further object is to provide a stopper which may be manufactured and attached to the container at a very low price and which will not change or alter the appearance or the shape of the container.

These and various other objects and advantages 7 will be readily understood from the following specification and from the accompanying drawing of preferred embodiments of the invention, in which, however, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 shows an elevation of a barrel with a part broken away to show the manner in which the stopper is preferably applied,

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of a stopper such as might be used, for example, in a wooden barrel,

Fig. 3 is a top view of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of another stopper,

Fig. 5 is a modification of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional elevation of a stopper such as might be employed in a container made of tin or other like material, and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a stopper similar to the stopper shown in Figs. 4 and 5 but having a downwardly-extending, transparent cup in place of the transparent disc.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, thebarrel is shown at I0 and the head of the barrel at II. In this instance the stopper I2 is externally threaded and provided with a hexagonal opening l3. The lower end I4 of the plug is reduced in size and a shouldered recess I5 is formed in this end. In this recess a piece of transparent material I6 is inserted between two gaskets I1 and I8. To hold the transparent material and the gaskets in place the edge of the reduced end I4 is spun over to form a lip I9. The spinning over of this lip seals the transparent disc across the opening I3 so as to tightly close this opening.

A flanged and internally threaded bushing 20 is driven tightly into an opening 2| formed in the barrel head and into this bushing the plug is screwed. In the present instance, when the plug is used in a wooden barrel, a plurality of prongs 22 are bent downwardly from the flange and engaged in the wood to prevent the flange from turning. When used on an iron dr'i'im or barrel these prongs are omitted and the flange is welded or otherwise secured directly to the barrel.

In Fig. 4 the stopper 23 is made of wood and provided with a circular opening 24 in the lower end of which a transparent disc 25 and two gaskets 26 or 21 are sealed in a recess 28 by means of aring 29, which may be cemented or otherwise secured in place. This plug is tapered and is driven into an opening 30 formed in the barrel.

In Fig. 5 another wooden plug 3| is shown in which a large opening 32 is formed in the top and a smaller opening 33 in the bottom. An annular groove 34 extends downwardly from the large opening 32 and a recess 35 is formed in the shoulder 36. In this recess the transparent disc 31 is sealed by means of a ring 38. This construction is somewhat similar to the ordinary bung now used. By weakening the bottom of the plug, by forming the groove 34, the shoulder 36, together with the transparent disc, may be broken off and driven into the barrel by a spigot placed in the opening 32 in the customary manner. The opening 32 is tapered similarly to the spigot employed and the plug itself is tapered on the outside and merely driven into an opening 39 formed in the barrel head.

In Fig. 6 the stopper 40 is pressed from light metal and provided with a flange M at its upper side and an opening 42 at its lower end. The flange 4| may be soldered to the wall 43 of a container. The transparent disc 44 as well as the gaskets 45 and 46 are sealed between the flange 41, which is formed at the bottom of the plug, and an inwardly flanged ring 48 which is soldered or otherwise secured in the inside of the plug.

In Fig. '7 the stopper 49 is provided with a downwardly-extending, transparent cup 50. cup has a flange 5| at its upper end which is sealed to the stopper by meansoi gaskets 52 and 53 inserted between the shoulder 54 and the ring 55.

The transparent disc is so located in relation to the container that it is just above the level of its contents, thus when the container is slightly This I head of the container, it is evident that there are instances where the plug may be located in other parts. Likewise, while I have shown gaskets for sealing the transparent disc to the plug, it is evident that other means, such for example as cementing, maybe used.

Having described the invention and its objects, what I claim as new and wish to protect by Letters Patent is: r 1

An indicating plug of the type described comprising a body member having an axial opening, a transparent cupped member inserted in said opening for sealing same, and the lower end of the cup projecting sufficiently below the lower end of the plug to be immersed in the contents of the container in which the plug is employed.

EDWARD MILLER. 

